Too Little Too Late
by FriendsForevaa
Summary: "Maybe it was not like that at all. Maybe, his feelings were a lie. Maybe, she was the one after all." A GrayLu fanfic.


**Disclaimer:-** _I don't owe Fairy Tail, desu._

**Summary:-** _"Maybe it was not like that at all. Maybe, his feelings were a lie. Maybe, she was the one after all."_ _A GrayLu fanfic._

_Guess, who's back? :p This is for all the people who love my stories, love you guys so much! I had college so was sort of busy now-a-days. Nevertheless, I am back! Yup, the title is inspired by Jojo's song "Too Little Too Late", which is one of my all time favsss._

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**Too Little Too Late**

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_"Lucy Heartfilia, huh."_

For Gray, the girl was difficult. Not difficult as in_ 'difficult-to-understand'_ or anything, for as far as he knew, she was easy to figure out, very friendly and easy to talk to. Give her a few days and you will be getting along with her as good as you do with your childhood friends, which was somewhat mysterious, as she never really was at_ 'front'_ or into _leading_ stuff. She disliked fighting, would like to stay in sidelines and preferred peace over anything. Normally, '_sideliners_' never get to enjoy this much attention, but the girl was special. She had an unusual charm which made her easy to recognize. The sweetness, smartness, beauty, naivete— She had it all. Besides he knew she was strong, he had felt her whips once or twice, when he had tried to enter her apartment out of his no-good habits. Thanks to that, he got whipped _real good _and no thanks, she is better off _pretending to be weak_. He would feel bad for the poor little enemies.

While her occasional outburst might have given him tough time, her random chants about her _rent-money-or-whatever'_ could have proven to be slightly annoying, but the next moment, he would find his body moving on his own to help her. Deep down, he would always enjoy the silly expressions and pouts, she would bless him with. _  
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But still, she was difficult. She was difficult to grasp and get hold of. She seemed close, but felt distant. She was like a ray of sunshine in one of those cloudy days to him. He would see her clearly one moment, decide to open his mouth and talk to her, but then the clouds would overtake and he would miss the chance.

Weird.

When he personally considers himself to be the 'snow', falling from the black masses. They should get along, given they both interact with the same foamy substances.

Maybe, it was the nature of the clouds? Maybe, it was a question of black and white?

Or maybe, it was just him who had gotten paranoid.

Nevertheless, he couldn't deny the feeling of wanting to know more about her, to feel her and to understand her. It was not long ago, when they shared so much moments, always next to each other. From as far back as day 1, they had gotten along so well that he had begun to question his feelings. Maybe, there was a spark of interest he had felt for her. He would be lying if he said, he never dreamed about her in a '_Somewhat erotic (but nothing too revealing) _way. That would be just him being in a denial.

But then again, he was unsure. The moments spent with her were precious and so full of life; a feeling he never really got around others. He_ felt_, but not as clearly and vividly. They shared similar habits, had good laughs, loved each other's companies (he assumed this) but he knew that deep down, there was a void— a missing space. He wanted to cover it, but didn't know how to. Ever since Juvia has entered the picture, the void had began to widen without him even realizing. It was after Grand Magic Games, that he realized how aloof they had become to each other. They still shared moments, had good laughs together, got along well, but something felt missing. As if their relationship was only on the surface, as if it was only him who enjoyed her company and not vice versa. it was Juvia who would be standing and not Lucy.

A strange feeling. A peculiar emotion.

He never disliked Juvia, but that didn't mean, he necessarily liked her. Her clingy attitude was something, he could never handle nor understand. As he spent more time with her, she became harder and harder to manage. But still, when she would be with Lyon, he would feel a sting, a pang in his heart. _Maybe, this was how love felt?_

Maybe, it was his foolishness, but he had begun to harbor a strange emotion inside him. He would feel anger building up and heating up his face as the other male would flirt with the girl who is supposed to run after him. He was nearly sure, he liked her, not realizing, he is mistaking it.

It was still not too late until he realized that he felt a _bit_ different.

But he could feel the pureness of the feelings of fellow ice maker, when he decided to give up on her— Not because, he didn't like her any more, but more because, he wished her happiness. This statement of his fellow ice maker opened the jet black-haired mage's eye. Finally, he knew the answer. It was just that he didn't trust Lyon's feelings enough. He thought, maybe the elder ice maker would be just messing up with her, or using her for his time-pass, so he felt obliged to protect her. Who else she trusted more than him? No one. He let his feelings get the best of him, thinking that those are of love and the like.

In-fact, he was just lying to himself. His heart belonged to her— yeah her— The blonde. He always liked it best when _she_ was besides him. Unlike Juvia, around whom he would always force a smile, he would laugh from bottom of his heart around the celestial spirit mage. Each action of hers was sweet. Each smile of hers was unique. Each moment around her always passed by so quickly that it felt it never happened. The bubbly smile, the pretty features, the heart of gold. It was her whom he was missing.

So he rejected the water mage on her one particular advance. He straightforwardly said 'no' to her. And as she cried and cried, he just just stood there, hearing the silent groans and feeling bad. He told her, how great of a guy Lyon was. How happy he would he keep her. He knew, she wouldn't accept it too easily, nor he wanted her too. He wished her to spend more time with Lyon and think about others more. He isn't the only guy in the world for her.

Over the party held for their victory against the dragons and in the celebration of their triumph in the tournament, screams of happiness emerged all across the land. Everyone was smiling, laughing— Why would they not? They had won. They had protected the humanity. Of course, he was delighted, too. His hands were shaking but on his face, was not a smirk, not a grin, but a pure smile. And he knew that his eyes were searching for someone. Someone, who knew him well, someone who was his light and his shadow at the same time.

Maybe, he wasn't too late. Maybe, this could be undone.

He wished to step forward, hug her and savour the moment as his hands would touch the soft golden locks. They chocolate brown eyes would look at her with a strange confusion as he would say the three words to her. He would say to her everything. Not keep anything to himself, all of the emotions will immerse as he would let himself loose over the barren land, amidst the fires and a fiery crowd.

But the bubbles popped, as a figure ran across him, leaving him swayed.

He blinked his eyes.

He was sure that he saw blonde hair; beautiful strands of pure gold. To confirm his suspicion, he arched his necks, only to find something that would cause his head to spin and heart to rip apart. He inhaled, taking in all of her supreme beauty, all of her sorrow, and then, he decided to exhale his happiness.

A pink sunset he saw.

_"So that's how it is..."_

He clenches his fists ever so lightly as his eyes freeze, the blonde hugging the pinkette as they cried and rejoiced over their win. His mind was exploding, his cheeks were burning, his feelings were a mess and yet, he couldn't do anything about it. He couldn't even waver, not until the hug broke and when it did, so did his heart. Shattering like pieces of glasses, his heart was crushed. His knees felt like slime; there was no power, no energy inside him.

_"Hey I have found the answer to my question..."_

_"Why you are difficult..."_

His eyes sank into a pit of despair. He felt suffocated, torn apart from within.

_"It's 'cause I love you..."_

So while he was having his sweet time with the water mage, _stellar spirit mage_ was having hers too. Ofcourse, that would create some distances among them. Of course, they wouldn't be as close as they once were. As a result, many opportunities were missed, many chances were trashed and here there were, so close yet so far away.

He couldn't control his tears, as one or two of them fell on the ground and absorbed quickly. He felt lame, disgusted and stupid over this, but he wanted to get rid of this heaviness. He would have liked it better if no one asked, but just then, Cana had to come. Patting his head, asking worriedly, what had happened to him?

So he lied. He lied like a supreme giant, when inside he was feeling so tiny, as if he was a _drama king_.

_"Ah, these are just..."_

_"Tears of happiness..."_

And the satisfactory response he got from her didn't manage to ease down his heart. From then on, nothing calmed him down. It had frozen, the time was frozen.

He was late.

Just a little too late...

**...The End...**

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_**Writer's Corner**_

_I am so glad that I wrote another GrayLu story after SOOOO LONG!_

_**Don't forget to review please :)**_

_This story is surprisingly well-received, I am both surprised and happy to hear all of the good things about it. And I got noticed by hater-senpai, too, yay_


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